August Deadliest Month In Afghanistan For U.S. Troops
By Frank James
A U.S. soldier was killed in a bomb blast in Afghanistan Friday, making it the deadliest month for U.S. troops in the eight years of the war.
The soldier was killed in eastern Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in struck a roadside bomb, according to the military.
All told, 45 U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan in August as the U.S. has surged its military forces into the country with the aim of driving back the Taliban and insurgents.
Roadside bombs have caused many of the casualties since improvised explosive devices are so easy to conceal in the Afghanistan's unpaved roads. Meanwhile, the Taliban learned from observing the Iraq War how effectively deadly IEDs are.
The increasing death toll comes at the same time as support in the U.S. for the war appears to be declining among a war-weary public; the growing casualties are no doubt causing some of that loss of public backing.
Complicating President Barack Obama's challenge is the U.S. military's request for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan which would likely increase the casualties there, further eroding public support.
Bookmarks